The Services of an Anatomic Pathology Laboratory

For any reputable medical facility, the assistance of an anatomic pathologist is an important component of making an accurate diagnosis. Anatomic pathologists excel at observing human tissue samples extracted by a patient's doctor and then taking note of any defects or diseases through a series of tests. Here are two of the most common diagnostic services that anatomic pathology laboratories offer to their clients:

Gastrointestinal Pathology

This service focuses on detecting the presence of diseases that target the digestive tract. These include Barrett's Disease, Celiac Disease, Chron's Disease, Eosinphilic Esophagus, Peptic Ulcers, and Colon Polyps.

Dermatopathology

This service focuses on detecting the presence of diseases that target a patient's skin. Dermatopathologists search for signs of the three forms of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.

When a pathologist detects the presence of a disease using the provided tissue sample, both the pathologist and the attending doctor will then devise the most effective treatment plan for a patient. They will base this on the type and progression of the disease, as well as the overall health of the patient. As such, pathologists play an important role in caring for the overall health of patients.